Search for woman who walked from ER is called off

ANDERSON - Wearing a green hospital gown and a white sheet, an AnMed Health patient walked away from the downtown emergency room on Fant Street today, and hospital officials and police officers called off a search after about two and a half hours.

The woman's name and identifying details have not been made public, said Lt. Tony Tilley of the Anderson Police Department.

He said the woman wandered away from the hospital.

The 19-year-old woman is not a danger to anyone but was being sought because of her past medical history, Tilley said.

The search began around 1:20 p.m. and ended around 3:50 p.m.

The woman is not facing any charges and there is no detention order, a document that would require her to stay at the hospital, but Tilley said police decided to err on the side of caution as they searched for the woman.

"We don't have any reason to believe her condition is dire," he said. "She may have gotten a ride from a friend."

The search included the joint Anderson city and Anderson County Technical Rescue Team, a K-9 unit and the sheriff's helicopter.